Figure preparation HELL

[ravenflight]

Hi All,

I'm having HEAPS of problems with my figure preparation of late.

Now, I'm an experienced painter and people say that I do a good job, so please keep this in mind, I've prep'd MANY figures in my day, probably tens of thousands so prepping isn't a new experience, but THIS problem is a new experience for me.

I'm having no end of trouble getting my paint figures to accept the paint. The undercoat keeps pulling away from the figure. Here's the prep method I use:

1 - scrub the figures with a toothbrush and detergent in water.
2 - dry the figures thoroughly
3 - trim off excess flash and sculpt poor or damaged areas
4 - drill out hands
5 - scrub the figures again with a toothbrush and detergent in water.
6 - dry figures with a hairdrier
7 - base the figures on my painting platform
8 - undercoat figures in watered down black artist acrylics (Atelier).


At point 8 above, I'm having great difficulty in not getting pinpoints of white metal showing through, and in some cases a several mm wide circle!

I've even subsequent to undercoating gone back and hit those spots with full strength Valejo black! Even THAT doesn't seem to have worked!! The rejected area gets smaller and smaller, but come on - it's taking me hours just to undercoat my damned figures!

I'm at a loss as to what to do. Any thoughts?

[Scruff]

The black "pulling away" from the fig (the spots showing through) suggests that there is some sort of residue is still on the figure.

Are you are using a different kind of soap that's leaving a residue you didn't have in the past?

Maybe try a test batch giving them a quick scrub in some methylated spirits and then a soapy wash. That will definitely take off any oily residue that might be on them....

cheers

[deadtorius]

perhaps you can try to let a few of them air dry first, see if the heat from the hair dryer is causing an issue, or try to use the hair dryer on cool setting. Sounds like a chemical reaction/residue that won't accept the ink you are using. have you considered an aerosol primer? I have been using it on all my figures since I started painting, 30+ years now, even using it on my 28mm plastics.

[BrettPT]

I've always found that black spraypaint sticks better to bare metal than using a brush.

[edb1815]

Ditto on the black primer (Krylon, etc). Need warm temps. (55 degrees F+) Just make sure you have ventilation!

I have never washed a metal miniature before priming, just remove flash, drill hands and spray.

[deadtorius]

perhaps you should try straight water, the detergent you have been using must be a newer formula that is leaving a residue.

[hazelbark]

I am with everyone else on the spray paint primer in a normal temperature room.

decades ago there was a two step process for high end military modelling style 54mm figures that was a clear wash and the then an olive green primer that worked well. But I have not seen that advertised in years.